A Matter of Time
by Changeling007
Summary: So, what would happen if Bella HAD waited for Jake before jumping off that cliff? What if Victoria had acted sooner, and the Volturi too? T for safety. R&R?
1. Chapter 1

**Bella POV**

As always, Jake was late. I stared up at the cliffs he had promised to take me cliff diving from. Maybe I could just go alone; it didn't seem that hard.

And I desperately needed to hear _his_ voice again. It had been so long, and the motorcycles didn't help unless I purposely did something stupid that would get me hurt. I was getting too good.

I sighed and returned my gaze out to the ocean, and the dark clouds above it.

Jake had better come soon, or I was going to go alone. The sky suggested that it was going to rain soon.

I counted the stones beneath my feet to pass time. Jake came trotting up to me at forty-seven – wearing no shirt as usual.

"Hey, Bells." He greeted me cheerfully as I stood up.

"You're late." I accused him, playfully poking him in the chest.

"Yeah, sorry about that; the red-head showed up again, and Sam had us all split up to look for her." He explained. I shivered, as I always did, when I thought of Jake and the other Quileute boys out hunting the vampire that wanted to kill me.

He grabbed my hand, and towed me down the beach. "So, are we going to do this, or what?" I asked after a little while, excitedly impatient to be up on the cliffs.

"No." he said.

I stopped, tearing my hand from his loose grip. "What? Why Jake? You promised!" I complained, the wind whipping at my hair.

"I know,"

"Then why can't we go?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Because of the red-head, er… Victoria?" he still seemed a little weirded that vampires had names. He – and the other wolves – didn't think of them as people.

"So, we can't jump off a cliff because of Victoria?" It was hard to say her name.

"Yes." He grabbed my hand, and led me back to my truck. "We chased her away, but she got away from us." He stopped, and opened the door. I climbed in, and he went around to the driver's side.

"And?" I was more than a little annoyed that he was breaking his promise.

"Well, she escaped into the water. And I knew that you were waiting for me on the beach… I was worried that she was going to get to you before I could." He looked at me, his eyes full of pleading. "We'll go some other time, okay?" he turned the key, and the truck roared to life.

I sank into the seat grumpily. "Fine," I grumbled. He laughed at my expression.

"Come on Bella," he said, still chuckling. "Today wouldn't even be a good day for it anyway. Have you even looked at the sky? It's turning into a hurricane out there!"

I glared out the window. He had a point, though I wouldn't tell him that.

We rode in silence for a long while, as Jacob took us back to his house. I assumed that was where we were going anyway.

"So," he started, breaking the silence. "Any idea what's up in Seattle? Billy says it's getting worse." Someone in Seattle was on a killing spree. And the police were at a loss.

"Not really, but Charlie's been commenting on it a lot too. He's worried that it's going to come here because we're so close." I had read the article this morning. It was pretty much the same everyday, except the numbers just kept getting higher. I sighed. "I hope they get it cleaned up soon. I'm actually surprised that it's lasted this long." I glanced over at him; he was watching the road intently. "Jake, is something wrong?" he was watching the rain, a little _too_ intently.

"Huh? Oh, just thinking about something…" I waited for him to continue. "There was someone with the bloodsucker today – another one; a guy." I froze. There were two of them hunting me now?

"What happened? To the other one, I mean." I asked quietly.

"I'm not sure. Sam, and Paul took off after him, but I didn't wait to see what happened. I came after you." He said, glancing at me as we pulled up in front of his house. He climbed out, and had my door open before I even had my seatbelt off, just like Edward used to do – just faster. The hole in my chest twinged slightly, but I ignored it.

I climbed out of the cab. "Get inside, and stay there." He ordered me. "I want to find out what's going on." I obeyed, and let myself into the little house as he trotted into the nearby woods to change.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Get inside, and stay there." He ordered me. "I want to find out what's going on." I obeyed, and let myself into the little house as he trotted into the nearby woods to change._

**Bella's POV **

"Morning, Bella." Billy greeted me, as I stepped into the living room. Nothing ever seemed to be bothering Billy. Not even having his son out in the forest chasing vampires.

I sat down on the couch next to him, and stared at the TV screen, not really seeing Billy's game. He noticed my preoccupation.

"They'll be fine, Bella." He assured me calmly. I believed him, but I worried anyway. How could I not? He was my best friend.

"Sure, sure." I said, exactly the way Jake did, and sighed, resting my chin in my hands. I tried to convince myself that he – and all the other wolves – would be fine, as the minutes passed.

A howl was heard outside; I jumped off the couch in shock. Billy turned to gaze curiously out the window.

There was a light knock on the door. Still jittery from the last surprise, I flinched again in alarm. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "I'll grab it," I told Billy shakily, hurrying to answer it.

It was Embry, looking anxious. I was instantly alert; something in his expression hinted that something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Bella," he said, his gaze turned calm for a moment, "Jacob sent me to get you." He stated. "We have to get out of here." That worried look returned to his expression. When I didn't move, he grabbed my wrist and towed me from the doorway just as Jacob sprinted up to the small house.

"I'll take her. Go help Sam." He said quickly. Embry hesitated. "Go!" Jake shouted at him. With a final glance over his shoulder Embry raced out of sight into the woods.

"Jake, what's wrong?" he didn't answer. "Jacob? Tell me what is happening!" I cried, panicking.

"_Bloodsuckers_." He spat, pulling me onto his back. "At least twenty of them." My body froze in terror. _Twenty_.

Jake took off running in the opposite direction Embry had gone. "Hold on tight!" he ordered, his voice sounding gruff. I didn't get a chance to ask what he meant.

Suddenly, Jake's body exploded beneath me. The ground seemed to disappear as I rose into the air. Fur, the same reddish brown color of Jake's skin, burst out in every direction. In a second I found myself straddling a huge wolf, as if I were riding a horse.

Abruptly we were moving forward with so much speed, I felt as if we were racing with the wind.

'Hold on', he'd told me. I bent forward and clasped my arms around his great furry neck, burying my face in the mane of fluff that was slowly becoming soaked due to the heavy rainfall.

"_Breath,_ Bella." My delusion reminded me; I hadn't realized I was holding my breath. I inhaled, breathing in the musty woodsy scent of the Jacob-wolfs fur. Apparently riding werewolves was life threatening and reckless enough to rouse Edward's warnings. Perhaps this was even better than the cliff diving I had missed earlier today. Had that really only been half an hour ago? Time had slowed to a maddening crawl ever since Jake had towed me from my log on the beach.

Edward's voice had momentarily distracted me from my panic. But as the dread slowly leaked back into my conscience, I searched desperately for something else to keep my mind off of it. I dint have to search long.

I wasn't expecting it. Jake wasn't expecting it either.

The wolf beneath me flinched, and we suddenly were flying sideways.

My body slammed into a tree, I gasped in pain as the huge wolf pinned me against it with added force. "Jake," I whimpered. I couldn't move. I could hardly breath, he was so heavy.

In seconds, the Jacob wolf rolled off of me, and swiftly, gracefully even, stood on all four paws. He let loose a feral snarl that intensified steadily.

Slowly, testing my body to see if it was up to the task of moving, I propped myself up on my arms and looked around. My side twinged dully; hopefully it was just a bruise.

I spotted the cause of Jakes snarls almost instantly. Two black cloaked figures were walking toward us through the heavy sheets of rain; I could barely see them. Their eyes stood out from the surrounding black; blood red.

The rain plastered my wet hair to my face. I attempted to brush the clinging strands out of my eyes, but I couldn't make my arms obey. Fear had me rooted to the ground. Jake limped backward toward me, continuing to growl at the approaching vampires.

Out of the blue, Jake glanced down at me, and whimpered softly. Then the snarls resumed and his huge head whipped back to the two figures as they stopped, a few feet away from Jake. Their burning red eyes glared at me from under their hoods.

Without taking my eyes from theirs – I don't think I could have even if I had wanted to – I pulled myself to my feet, using the tree as a crutch.

There was a flicker of movement behind me and Jake twirled to attack whoever it was. I turned too, just to see, and wished I hadn't.

_Victoria._

_------------------------------------------------------------------ _

**_A/N_ - Muahahaha…. :D**

**_A/N_ - 2 I've always thought that Bella should get a chance to ride a werewolf.**


	3. Chapter 3

_There was a flicker of movement behind me and Jake twirled to attack whoever it was. I turned too, just to see, and wished I hadn't._

_Victoria._

**Bella's POV**

I could feel the scream building up in my throat, but I couldn't find my voice to let it out.

I slid back down to the ground as I watched Jake battle Victoria – a mass of brown-red fur against the sea of flame that was Victoria's hair. It was hard to know who was winning, but that battle dragged on for what seemed to be an impossibly long time.

I looked back at the vampires behind me. As I did, they began once again their advance, but swifter this time. I expected them both to come to me; to kill me. But to my dull surprise, only one of the black cloaked figures stopped at my side, the other flew straight past me, toward Jake.

The vampire that loomed above me was huge – he reminded me of Emmett. He took one of my wrists and hauled to my feet again, but didn't let go.

I was shaking from terror as I turned away from him to watch Jacob fight. The other cloaked vampire was helping Jake battle Victoria. I watched in silent horror as the vampire and werewolf destroyed Victoria – piece by piece – and then turned on each other.

"Jake!" I tried to pull away from my captors iron grasp, to no avail. All I could hear was the growling and snarling of the conflict in front of me.

Jake yelped in pain, as the cloaked vampire planted a kick in the side of his face, sending him flying. He landed on the ground several feet away with an audible thump, and lay still. The tears I had been fighting back brimmed over and mixed with the rain already running down my face. "Jacob!" I yelled for him to get up.

The vampire stood watching him for a moment, his posture smug. Then spoke up. "What should we do with it?" he sounded young.

"Just leave it. It reeks." My captor told his companion, his tone disgusted. His voice was deep and sounded mature.

"Are you sure? Aro would be _very _interested in this. Werewolves. Who would have thought?"

"Positive. We have the girl, the newborns have been destroyed. Let's go." The Jacob wolf growled suddenly. Relief washed over me; he wasn't dead. Unsteadily, he struggled to his feet and faced the two vampires. "Just leave him." The one holding me back stated again.

"I think we should bring him." The other cloaked vampire said. The rain was letting up.

My captor sighed, exasperated. "Fine, you do whatever you want; just clean up when you're done." In one swift motion he swept me up and cradled me in his arms and took off running in the same instant.

I didn't want to know where we were going. I momentarily considered struggling to get away, but disregarded the idea - I wouldn't stand a chance against him – so I lay limp and numb in his arms, trying to manage the fear that had taken control of my mind.

I must have fallen asleep – or passed out – during that run, because I didn't recognize my surroundings when I woke up.

**Edward's POV**

Where was I? I wasn't quite sure. I wasn't really even sure how it was I got here.

Victoria.

I had followed her here. Or so I had thought. I hadn't been able to find any trace of her at all.

I was leaning against a wall in a dark alley, waiting for the sun to go back behind the clouds so I could get out of here. I closed my eyes.

As always, Bella's face smiled back at me from behind my lids. How I missed her. But I couldn't go back. I could never go back. I had promised to never interfere in her life again. It wasn't safe.

Yet, maybe if I just went to check on her… _No._ I stopped myself. I couldn't let my mind wonder that direction.

But, just because I wasn't thinking of it, didn't mean that the thought wasn't there.

The idea of it was invigorating. It was so _healing_. I could go back. I could see her face once more.

I could go back…

_No!_

I promised. I would never inflict my presence on her life again. I was dangerous and that put her in danger. She should be allowed to live her life. To be happy.

Yes, Bella deserved to be happy.

…Just to check, though. I wouldn't talk to her. She would never know I was there.

The sun disappeared behind the clouds and I opened my eyes.

Just to check.

Eagerly, I strode out of the alley, and hurried to get out of town. Before I knew it, I was running to Forks Washington. I was going home.

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**A/N – **

**Gah... ..**

**I didn't think that people would like this so much. Thanks for all the fav's and alerts, everyone:)**

**R&R! (It makes me happy)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Two updates in one day? Wow. **

**Disclaimer: (have I done one of these yet? ..) All characters yet far belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

_I must have fallen asleep – or passed out – during that run, because I didn't recognize my surroundings when I woke up._

**Jake's POV**

I felt so helpless.

I wished desperately that Bella would wake up. And yet, I didn't. The leech who had left me here said he would come for her when she was awake.

I hoped she was okay. I hugged her closer to me.

Yesterday morning had gone so wrong. I broke another promise to Bella, and I barely even got to talk to her. Those filthy bloodsuckers had interfered.

And now Bella was unconscious. Would I ever get to tell her?

Everything had been perfectly planned out in my mind. I would take Bella cliff diving, as I had promised. We'd go back to my place and I would tell her what had been eating at me these past few days. It was eating at my brothers too. I couldn't get it out of my head, and telling Bella I loved her was the only fix I could think of.

I leaned back against the cold stone wall and let my thoughts drift back to yesterday morning. It seemed like so long ago.

I remembered the panic that had filled me as one of the leeches had run off with Bella._"We've got the girl..." _he had said. Got the girl? For what? At least, _I_ had the girl for the time being. And they weren't getting their reeking hands on her while I was around. "Over my dead body." I muttered to the empty silence.

I tried to follow, but the other vampire had gotten in my way. _"Listen mutt," _he had told me (I was surprised at the youthful tone of his voice) _"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay here." _He had threatened. Hadn't he just been trying to convince his friend that they should bring me – talking about me as if I were luggage? _"But, if you come, you're our prisoner. We won't be letting you go. But, you get to keep an eye on your friend a little longer." _he was implying that something bad was going to happen to Bella. Of course I had chosen to come.

Bella stirred, interrupting my recollection. Her eyes fluttered open. I sighed in relief.

**Edward's POV**

My phone rang in my pocket. It had been a long time since I had even bothered to look at who was calling me, let alone answer it. But I didn't need caller ID to tell me it would be Alice.

I flipped it open before the first ring had finished and put it to my ear. "Hello?" the lifelessness in my voice surprised me.

"Edward!" Alice cried, "Can I come? Please?" She begged, of course she would have seen my decision to return.

"No." I told her sternly. "I'm not going back for good; I'm not going to talk to her."

Alice sounded disappointed. "I can't even come see her? I miss Bella so much."

"I'm sorry, Alice." The line was silent for a moment.

"Will you come home afterward? Just for a little while? Emmett misses you, Esme isn't happy, and Carlisle doesn't laugh anymore. We _all_ miss you Edward. Will you stop feeling sorry for yourself and consider your family for a bit?" I didn't answer. She sighed. "At least call me when you get there." She said, and hung up.

I flipped my phone shut and took off running again with no plans to call her back.

It took more than a day, but I finally made it. The already cloudy sky was turning darker with the oncoming night. Bella would be making Charlie dinner about now. I could wait a little longer, until she was asleep.

So I decided to hunt. I needed to anyway. My thirst was getting uncomfortable.

When I returned the sky was completely dark. Bella would be asleep by now. I jumped up to her window, the way I used to, and peered in. No Bella. Swiftly, I opened the window and crawled inside. Her room didn't smell like Bella had been in it recently. I was instently concerned. It wasn't like Bella to stay out of her room all day.

I listened downstairs. Only one human mind passed through my own, as it should be - but there was also only one human. Charlie was alone in the house. I glanced at the clock; the bright green numbers read 9:30 PM.

Something wasn't right.

I concentrated on Charlie's thoughts for a long time. He was worrying about Bella; she hadn't come home last night.

Someone knocked on the door and Charlie heaved himself from the couch to answer it. He was dragging his feet.

"'Evening Charlie." it was a man's voice that I didn't recognize.

"Hey Sam, come on in. Any news?" he sounded hopeful. _Did you find Bella?! _He thought.

Sam sighed. "We haven't found either of them." Them? _Jacob Black, what have you done? _Jacob Black? He was Bella's Quileute friend.

"Ah, Bella." Charlie sighed. I barely heard it. The couch groaned again as Charlie sat back down. "She's dead." he sobbed. His thoughts reflected his words.

"No Charlie," Sam was saying, "We don't know that yet..." But I wasn't listening.

I flipped my phone open again and dialed Alice's number. She answered right away.

"Is Bella-" I cut her off.

"Alice, can you find Bella? What is she doing?" I tried to stay calm.

The line was silent for too long. Dread washed over me.

Bella was gone. She was dead. My Bella was dead.

I shut my phone without waiting for Alice's answer and flew back out the window; I had to get away from there.

The reason for my existence was dead. I had no longer had a reason to continue existing.

**Alice's POV**

I searched the future frantically for Bella. But there was nothing to see. It was blank.

Edward read my silence and the phone line went dead. I didn't care. Bella's future was gone. Bella was dead. But I continued to search for it. I didn't want to accept that my friend had died.

Jasper came down the stairs and was instantly at my side. "Alice," he sounded concerned, "what's wrong?"

"She's gone." His brow furled. "Bella's future is gone." I spun and pressed my face into his chest.

**Bella's POV**

I moaned and tried to sit up. I opened my eyes, but everything was still dark – and warm.

"Bella?" Jake's voice sounded out of the darkness, right next to me.

"Jacob?" that explained the warmth. "Jake, where are we?"

"I don't know, Bells." He sounded angry. I looked around the small stone room as my eyes adjusted to the dark.

Jake stiffened. A moment later the wall opened. No, it was a door.

I squinted against the harsh light burning my eyes. The figure in the doorway was short. "Get the girl, Aro wants to see her." The voice was childlike, sounding innocent yet menacing.

Jakes arms tightened around me, as another dark figure came through the doorway. I clung to Jacob as hard as I could. It wasn't hard enough.

The figure tugged me away from Jacob effortlessly. Jacob snarled at the vampire. I struggled against the steely hold the vampire had on me, but I was dragged form the room anyway.

"Bella!" I heard Jake roar as the door was shut in his face.

---

I was half dragged half herded down the long – and cold – claustrophobic corridor. The female with the young voice was in the lead. And she really was just a child.

The vampire beside me was the same one who had captured me in the first place; but now he had his hood down and I could see his face. His hair was jet black and shoulder length. He glanced down at me and grinned. I looked forward again. His hand was on the small of my back; as if he were going to stop me from running off if I tried.

There were two other vampires in my escort, they were both behind me. It was unnerving, being followed by blood thirsty vampires. I could feel their pitch black eyes boring holes in the back of my head.

Finally, I was lead through a door. The room beyond was circular and full of more vampires. All of them turned to look as I entered the room. Dozens of dark red eyes started in my direction.

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**R&R?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N – I jump back and forth a bit, so I apologize if it gets confusing.**

**Alice POV**

I was sitting on the couch next to Jasper, searching the future fruitlessly for any sign of Bella. I know it was pointless, but things change. That's all that kept me searching. Things change.

I sighed and stopped, leaning back into the couch. Jasper took my hand. "I don't believe it…" I muttered.

An image flashed through my mind – one of those involuntary visions.

Edward was speaking with a man I recognized as Aro, from Carlisle's painting. Asking, pleading, for Aro to kill him.

I shot off the couch. "Alice?" Jasper asked, alarmed.

"Edward is going to try and kill himself." I whispered, shocked.

"What?" Emmett came down the stairs. "Why would he go and do something like that?"

"Bella's dead, Emmett." Jasper confided quietly. Emmett stared at us like we were speaking another language.

"Oh…" He blinked a couple of times, taking it in and joined us on the couch. "Dead, or going to die?" He asked suddenly.

"I'm not sure," I told him. "I can't find her future, and she wasn't at her house." I am not sure why I did it, but I did. I searched ahead again. "Oh!"

I saw Bella, being lead by several black cloaked vampires down a hallway. The Volturi.

I was horrified, but ecstatic. She was alive! Why was Bella with the Volturi?

"What happened?" Jasper asked.

"She's alive!" I cried happily, pulling my phone out of my pocket to call Edward.

He didn't answer. I tried again. No answer.

"He won't answer." Jasper and Emmett didn't look surprised. "We have to go get him."

**Bella's POV **

**(During Alice and Edward's first phone conversation.)**

Dozens of dark red eyes stared at me; a thirsty look in many of them.

I looked around the room in attempt to ignore them. The room was round, like a castle turret, and had been built with the same ancient stone as the corridor. Light streamed in from windows planted in the stone two stories above our heads.

One of the vampires approached me; he was dressed in the same swirling black robes as my escort. His hair was long and as black as his robes. His skin was so white, it nearly seemed translucent, but it looked papery and delicate – a word I would never have applied to a vampire. He was smiling as he drew closer to our small group. I realized my hands were shaking and I tried to hold them still, but they continued to quiver.

"Ah Jane, you've returned sooner than I thought." His smile widened. "And who is this?" He looked at me, amused.

"Yes Master." Her voice was perfectly polite, a child-like tinkling. She stepped to the side, and the vampire beside me pulled me forward. "Apparently, she was the motivation behind the Seattle disturbance." I was?

The Vampire's expression turned doubtful. "How interesting, that a girl could stir up such an army." An army? Jacob had said there were over twenty _bloodsuckers_ in the woods, but that hardly seemed like an army… though, maybe by vampire standards it was.

This vampire, there was something about him. Something in the way he stood, that said he was the leader, that he was to be respected. He came and stood in front of me, fixing me with his milky red gaze. "Are you frightened?" he asked. I nodded stiffly, unable to take my eyes off of his.

He chuckled. "Why? _I_ won't hurt you." I think his smile was supposed to be reassuring, but I was too scared to be reassured. And I didn't miss the emphasis he had put on 'I'.

He wouldn't hurt me, but the others might.

He set his hand out in front of him, like he wanted me to shake it. "I am Aro." he stated. His name sounded familiar.

I stared at his hand, and then hesitantly took it. His skin wasn't quite as I had expected, it felt brittle. Shale rather than the granite I was used to. I didn't answer.

As he shook my hand, his expression changed slightly. I wasn't supposed to catch it, but I did. His expression turned disbelieving. It would have scared me, if I weren't already scared out of my mind. As fast as it had come, it was gone, replaced by the wide smile.

He released my hand. His lips vibrated slightly, like the Cullen's sometimes did, speaking too fast for me to hear. Some heads turned slightly, looking interested. I could tell what he said had something to do with me.

I wanted to run. To get away.

I wanted to scream.

Aro turned to Jane and said something else I didn't catch. Jane's responding grin was pure evil.

Jane fixed her innocent gaze on me.

I waited for something to happen. All that changed was Jane's expression. Slowly the childlike innocence faded from her face, replaced my frustration, then hate. She hissed at me.

Suddenly it dawned on me. Jane had talent; and it didn't work on me. If Aro had asked her to try, he must have some talent that also wasn't working.

"It doesn't work..." I whispered, speaking for the first time.

Aro laughed. "No apparently it doesn't." He turned back to me. "Also, it is apparent that you know what we are." I nodded slowly. "What is your name?"

"Bella," I blurted without thinking.

"Bella, I haven't seen anyone quite like you in my many years in this world. Normally when we find a human who knows our secret, we destroy them." I flinched. This was the end. I thought about Jake, back in that cell, worrying about me. "But, I am extremely curious to see how you turn out." ...what? His words didn't quite register in my mind.

"Felix," he spoke to the vampire beside me. 'Felix' was all I caught. He began speaking quickly for a moment and then I was led away with only Felix as my guide this time.

I calmed down slightly as we left that room. I could think clearly now, my thoughts no longer clouded with fear.

Aro. Where had I heard that name before?

We reached Jake's cell faster this time, we stopped in front of the door but Felix did not open it. Instead he turned and bent over me, as if I were a flower.

I froze; I knew what was going to happen now. I wanted to scream for Jake, but my voice would not obey. I told my legs to carry me down the hall as fast as they could go, but they ignored my frantic plea. I was stuck.

He secured my face in one huge hand, the way Edward used to do before he kissed me.

Edward. It felt good to think his name and I felt no pain from the hole in my chest. _Edward_. It should be Edward standing there, about to steal my life away, not Felix.

But it didn't matter now. Edward wasn't coming back, but I had still held onto the hollow hope of his return. Edward was gone, he didn't love me anymore.

Felix's face was level with mine, so close our cheeks were nearly touching. He inhaled the scent coming off my skin, and then slowly he turned my face off to the side. I closed my eyes, and counted the seconds. My heart was spluttering sporadically. **(So**** is mine o.o)**

He paused for a moment, assessing his self control, and then struck. At the same moment I remembered where I had heard Aro's name before. Carlisle's painting. The first time Edward had brought me to his house, he had told me about Carlisle's past. He had been here, staying with Aro, Marcus, and Caius.

I was vaguely aware of Felix's teeth cutting into my soft skin, of the warm blood trickling down my neck, of the nauseating smell of salt and rust. Then came the pain. I whimpered in agony as the familiar fire spread, too slowly, through my body, torturing me. Felix pulled away and opened the door, shoving me in.

I landed in Jakes waiting arms. "Bella?" His frantic voice faded into the background. I couldn't concentrate. The fire was all that existed. All the company I had.

I hated it. I wanted it to stop; I wanted it to be gone. I writhed in agony against Jacobs restraining hold. I think he called my name. Was it my name? I didn't know.

"Bella." he sobbed, "Bella, don't die, Bella. I _need_ you Bella." Don't die. I wanted to die. The fire would go away if I died. Death was the cure.

"Kill me." I moaned at several points. Jake had refused every time saying, "You'll be fine Bella, everything is going to be okay." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself on that point.

Somewhere amidst the screaming and writhing, I focused Edwards face in my mind. I concentrated on his perfection to help me endure the pain. He may not love me, but I would always love him. Always.

Jake continued to sob, and call my name, telling me not to die, that it would be alright. And even, as the pain slowly dulled, "Bella, I love you."

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**A/N Are there any suggestions for what her power should be? I had an idea, but someone has already used it in a fanfic like this. ****TTTT**

**R&R!! – I'll update whether you do or not, but I still love to get reviews. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer – All Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer **

**Lizzie is an OC of The.Mormon.Nobody**

**Timeline: (Because I was confusing myself. ..)**

_Day 1_ – Jake and Bella kidnapped

_Day 2_ – Jake and Bella arrive in Volterra

-Bella is bitten

-Alice calls Edward

_Day 3_ – Edward arrives at Bella's house

-Alice has Edwards suicide vision

-Edward fly's to Volterra

_Day 4_ – Edward arrives in Volterra

- Bella's 'transformation' is complete

_Day 7_ – Edward confronts Volturi

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**Bella's POV**

Jake looked asleep when I woke up. He seemed warmer than usual, but it still felt good; better even. I was still cradled in his lap.

"You awake?" he was watching me, his eyes half open.

"Yeah."

"Good." He paused. "Would you mind moving? You reek." I couldn't help but smile.

"You don't smell so great yourself." I retorted, noticing the smell, but I moved off to the opposite wall. "…so what should we do now?"

"I say we get out of here." Jake was staring into his lap, trembling slightly; suppressing the werewolf instinct to rip me to shreds, I assumed.

"I don't think I can go back." I sighed. Jake looked up at me puzzled. "Alice explained it to me a little bit once. If I were to hurt anyone…" I shook my head. "Anyway, things wouldn't go very well." I sat back and attempted to absorb what happened (none too calmly).

I was quiet for a long moment.

"Bella?" Jake sounded concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Just freaking out..." I said, my voice wavering

Why was I panicking now? This is what had I wanted not too long ago, right? It was what I wanted, but I only wanted it if Edward were involved; to be with him forever. "I can't do this." I muttered. I couldn't make myself consciously kill a human.

Some time later the door opened again, but there was no blinding light this time. I could clearly see the figure sanding in the doorway. See her and every stitch in her clothing.

She beckoned to me. With a final glance at Jake, who was watching me like he'd never see me again, I followed her out.

---

With in the next few days, I followed Lizzie, the girl who had taken me from my cell with Jake, around and learned the castle layout, and the way things worked. We were called the Volturi guard. Our job was to keep our existence a secret, and take down anyone who threatened that mission.

Lizzie and I became fast friends, she helped me cope with my situation, but I refused to drink human blood still. I had also told her a bit about myself – when she asked – and she told me about her human and vampire life – and her power.

Lizzie could manipulate people's minds. Make them think what she wanted them to, believe and say what she wanted them to. The only downside, she had to be touching the person for it to work.

Also, she was the reason we discovered my ability.

"When I touched you," she said, "I felt different; powerful. I could use my power without touching anyone. It was awesome. But different, because it was like your mind wasn't even there." My mind-glitch was still in effect.

"So, what do you think that means?"

"Well, maybe you can make someone else's power stronger...?" She had offered.

Later we had found out that I didn't just make others stronger, I could use their abilities too. The first time Aro had touched me was shocking. One second I was the only one in my head, the next, Aro and everyone in the castle and streets below had taken refuge in my mind. It was annoying, and I was only too happy when he let go.

Aro, of course, loved it. He said that it was _exciting_ to go beyond what he could only do on his own.

But, at least he still couldn't read _my_ mind.

**Edward's POV**

I paced silently and quickly around my hotel room, thinking.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Why didn't Alice just stop calling? I pulled it from my pocket and tossed it onto the bed, where is continued to vibrate. I glared at it.

No doubt if I answered Alice would try to talk me out of this.

I had been here for nearly three days, and I knew what I was going to do; almost. I needed a plan in case Aro would not give me what I wanted. If he decided that he wouldn't want to upset Carlisle.

I had several ideas that I had settled on one or twice, but I couldn't make up my mind. One thing was for sure, I would have to expose the secret. That would get me what I wanted indefinitely.

Eventually, I couldn't stand to put it off any longer and left the room.

**Alice's POV**

Couldn't this plane fly any faster? At this rate we would barely catch Edward. So far I had seen him ask to die in a variety of ways. Also, every single one of his backup plans, in case Aro said no. It was all very annoying. And my annoyance was making Jasper annoyed.

I had been keeping an eye on Bella too, which was even more annoying than Edward. Bella kept disappearing. What was that girl doing? I hadn't seen her get bitten, but now she was one of us, working under the Volturi.

Eventually the plane landed, but Edward had already asked Aro. I calmed down once I saw Aro telling him no.

"We don't have a lot of time. We have to get to him before his does something stupid." I growled to Jasper. Emmett, though he had wanted to come, stayed back to tell Carlisle when he came home.

"What's he doing now?" Jasper asked.

"Sifting through his backup plans; he hasn't made up his mind yet."

**Bella's POV**

"Bella!" Lizzie came running up to me. "Come on. Someone is here." She said excitedly, pulling on my sleeve. "He wants to talk to Aro."

"So what? You want to go watch?"

"No. We're not allowed to watch." She said as if it were common knowledge. "I want to go listen."

"You don't need me, to eavesdrop."

"Oh, just come on." I sighed and went with her.

Once outside the antechamber where Aro met with visitors, we stayed quiet and listened. Aro was already speaking.

"...not something you see everyday. A suicidal vampire." He chuckled slightly. "I do understand your reason for doing this, but I think that you should think this through a little more."

"I have thought about it." That was Edward's voice. Edward was trying to commit suicide? Why the heck would he do something like that?! Aro just **had** to say no. Or maybe, I could _make_ Aro say no. I grabbed Lizzie's hand and concentrated on Aro's mind.

"If you're positive," Aro began to say, and then paused as I worked Lizzie's magic. "No," he said suddenly, his tone final. I grinned in relief, having never used Lizzie's power before. I released her hand, she was unusually still.

Edward was begging now. I listened to the sound of his voice, memorizing it. My memory and delusions were way off. It was much better than either.

It occurred to me that Edward should have seen me in Aro's thoughts, if he thought about me. Could Aro possibly guard his thoughts that well?

Despite Edward's pleas, Aro would not budge. Eventually, he apologized for wasting Aro's time and stalked out of the castle like an angry cat.

Lizzie dragged me away before we got caught.

"Who do you think that was?" Lizzie asked me once we were far enough away not to be overheard by Aro. "And what were you thinking, attacking Master Aro like that?" She demanded, turning on me. "That gave me the heebie-jeebies, you know, having you control me." She muttered.

"That," I explained slowly when she had finished, "was Edward."

---

**R&R!! It keeps me going. XD**

**I love to hear what you guys think and your ideas. :)**

**Special thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions for Bella's ability. But after all, I went with my original idea, seeing how it's not the most original power out there. ;)**

**And an extra special thanks to Eddysgirl for Lizzie's power. :)**

**And to The.Mormon.Nobody for letting me use Lizzie.**

**--- **

**Okay, time to get caught up on my homework. Fanfics are so distracting. **


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